January 2001 Newsletter
Gridiron 2000 rules
By Keoki Kerr
Gridiron producer
Gridiron 2000 was a tremendous success, thanks to the fine volunteer work of dozens of people.
We had a 15-member cast, along with another 16 emcees, and about 40 others working behind the scenes on props, costumes, makeup, the program, spotlights and the many other elements that went into the show.
We'd like you to join us next year, to make the Gridiron 2001 bigger and better!
We're looking for cast members who can sing, dance or act, or be able to fake any of the above - we all did this year! We rehearse one or two nights a week for two months before the show, so there's a fairly big time commitment. If singing's not your thing, but you want to appear on stage, you can be an emcee. Emcees only need to show up for the dress rehearsal and each performance.
Or you could help out on the production crew. We can use people to create or find costumes and props, copy and collate scripts, help as stagehands, etc.
We also need help writing, marketing and promoting the show. Do you like writing comedy or setting parody lyrics to a familiar song? For instance, if you are able to weave Uta Hagen and Edward R. Murrow in an historically-accurate sentence we would look at you with both reverence and deep suspicion. We want your wit! We don't have a specific date for the show yet, but we're planning on late October 2001.
Come join us. You'll have lots of fun, meet journalists and performers from all over town and help us raise scholarship money while making fun of politicians and others who've annoyed us all year!
Please call me at 535-0463 or email kkerr@kitv.com for more information.
Gridiron 2000 raises $8,000
What did Gridiron 2000 accomplish besides making people laugh at Keoki Kerr's and Gordon Pang's slinky dresses, at Scott Ishikawa's Britney Spears bare-belly outfit?
What did it do other than cause people to roar at Cathy Foy's rendition of Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono singing "On My Own" from "Les Miserables or to enjoy the wonderful singing of Rhonda, Jodi Leong and Ben. Gutierrez?
It raised nearly $8,000 for the chapter's internship program at the Oct. 27-28 event at Diamond Head Theatre..
Many thanks to the versatile voice and comedy of Bill Sage.
Thanks to the tap dancing of Lance Rae and the Crayons.
It was almost enough laughs to last until Gridiron 2001.
Also thanks to:
People who penned the funny material were: Lynda Arakawa, Dingeman, Viotti and Ishikawa of the Advertiser; Cooke, Daryl Huff, Gutierrez, Kerr and Botticelli of KITV; Howard Daniel of Communications-Pacific; Jim Doney, longtime Gridiron writer for the Press Club and First Night Honolulu's Summer Follies; Kamemoto of KGMB; Christopher Korsak, third year as Gridiron writer; Patrick Downes, editor of the Hawaii Catholic Herald; and Sage.
Lynette Lo Tom of Bright Light Marketing handled all the tickets and publicity; Stafford Kiguchi and Carole Tang of Bank of Hawaii worked up the program, and Alan Tang and Gavin Kobayashi of Olomana Marketing laid out the program. Xerox Hawaii was responsible for the program's printing and Fisher and Pioneer Printers handled the binding. And of course, the Star-Bulletin's Corky Trinidad drew the program's cover and symbol for the show.
Additional internship added
The chapter board has approved eight internships for 2001, an increase of one. The chapter's stipend will also increase to $1,200 from $1,000.
The board also has approved changes to the minimum number of hours.
Before, the chapter paid $1,000 stipend to the employer who paid an additional $2,000 for an intern who would work a 40-hour week for 10 weeks. This will change to $1,200 paid by SPJ and $1,800 paid by the media outlet.
But to increase participation, particularly by TV stations, the board voted to allow limited internships of 24 hours work a week for eight weeks.
The amount paid to the intern would be the $1,200 stipend offered by the chapter.
There is no application form. Applicants must provide a letter of application, samples of work and a college transcript.
The letter of application should state career goals, explain the candidate's interest in journalism and include full address and phone numbers. The letter also should indicate in which internship position or positions the candidate is most interested.
A candidate is free to express interest in any or all of the positions offered.
Applications should be mailed to John M. Black, c/o Rainbow Pacific Publishing Co., 1270 Queen Emma St., Suite 1102, Honolulu, HI 96813.
Application materials will not be returned.
For more information, contact John Black by phone at (808) 521-8877; by fax at (808) 521-8876; or by email at rainbowp@hula.net
Regional conference to be held at Disneyland
The Region XI conference will be March 30-April 1 at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
Jason Leopold, president of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter, says one of the programs will deal with the aftermath of the election.
National Vice President David Carlson, journalism professor at the University of Florida, will travel from Gainesville to Anaheim to be the national board representative at the regional.
A brochure listing details on workshops, costs, etc., should arrive in Region XI members' mailboxes after Feb. 1.
Fund-raising is ongoing for the conference.
If you think your media outlet might want to contribute (no amount too small! The Los Angeles chapter will take $50 or $100 happily!), please contact Janet Rae-Dupree at jraedupree@usnews.com or (650) 726-8552.
Shapiro, Tao to be inducted in Hall of Fame
Join us Jan. 20 at a dinner to honor Star-Bulletin Managing Editor Dave Shapiro and retired Hawaii Tribune-Herald Editor Gene Tao.
They started out on the Big Island together, covering such events as County Council meetings.
Tao retired recently as editor of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald after more than 30 years in the business. Shapiro will retire in March, also after 30 years in Hawaii journalism.
Both will be the first inductees in the SPJ-Hawaii Hall of Fame at the annual chapter dinner Jan. 20 at Hee Hing restaurant, 449 Kapahulu Ave.
To qualify for the SPJ-Hawaii Hall of Fame, a person must contribute to:
New chapter officers/directors also will be sworn in.
Annual Dinner
Here are the chapter's officers/directors for 2001:
President: Stirling Morita
Vice President:Donalyn Dela Cruz
Treasurer: Craig DeSilva
Secretary: Heather Tang
Immediate Past President: Christie Wilson
Director: Garett Kamemoto
Director: Larry LeRoux
Director: Jean Christensen
Director: Derek Paiva